Without You I Die 2: With A Thousand Sweet Kisses
by w.o Yu i Die
Summary: The Bohemians are back in this sequel to Without You I Die. They are trying to live each day as their last, while faced with pain, tears, lies, and disease. Maybe love is the only thing that can keep this family together. Or maybe not..
1. Can We Start Over?

**I'm back. Hi. Sorry it took so long. I have been really busy andI just got back from Memorial Day Break. I onlu update at school, so yea. **

**Also, my high school put on Leader of the Pack: Ellie Greenwich Musical. It was really good. i was in it. And I just found out we were nominated for 10 awards by the Helen Hayes Theater Company! For everyone who doesn't knwo much about theater, that is a big accomplishment. So congratulations to the entire cast.**

**So I really hope you continue to read and review. And enjoy the sequel!

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**Can We Start Over?**

Roger sat on the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room of the ER. Mark sat next to him. Maya had gone to look for a cafeteria with Collins. Maureen sat next to Mark, holding his hand.

Roger stood up for the tenth time and began pacing. Maureen watched him with sad amusement. Mark continued to stare at the floor.

"Mr. Davis?" said a voice. They all turned and stared at an old man in a white doctor coat.

"Is she alright?" Roger said, practically knocking the man over.

"Your wife is in stable condition and conscious," he said. Roger was about to correct him and say, "my girlfriend," when the doctor continued speaking. "You can see her now."

Without another word, he followed the doctor down a long row of hallways. Once they stepped into the room, all he heard were monitors beeping all around him.

Mimi was lying on the bed. She had many wires coming out of her arms. Her hair was sprawled out around her and she was deathly pale.

Roger sat down on a chair that was set up by the side of the bed. It made a loud squeaking noise, which caused Mimi to open her eyes.

"Rog," she whispered.

"Oh Meems," he cried. "I thought I lost you. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she said. "What happened?"

"You collapsed on the bathroom floor," he said.

"I had a dream. About death," she whispered.

"You aren't going to die," he said sadly.

"I wasn't the one that was dead," she said. "You were. And I thought to myself. How am I going to handle this? I cannot go on without Roger. So I willed myself not to fight anymore, because I wanted to die first, but than I remembered your song and a voice said to me, 'let him play for you once more before you go.' Then, I woke up."

"You died again?" Roger asked shocked.

"No," she sighed. "I was just dreaming."

"Angel," he said. "It was her voice wasn't it?"

"I think," she said.

"Mimi, I don't ever want you to go first. At this point I don't think any disease can kill you."

Mimi smiled and looked at him, "eventually it will happen, just not today."

"Good," he leaned down and kissed her. "I would be so lost without you."

"What are you looking at," she said. Roger's eyes had glazed over and he was staring at Mimi.

"Your eyes... I thought I would never see them again."

Mimi lifted her hand and touched his cheek. "I am here. Don't worry. I am not leaving anytime soon."

Mark and Maureen entered the room, slowly.

"Mimi," Maureen shrieked. Roger took a step back and let Maureen get by him. That was the first time he had just stepped back and let someone else enjoy her friendship. He smiled internally.

"Mr. Davis," the doctor said. "A word?"

Roger followed the doctor outside and stood near him. He was eye level with the man, but he still felt intimidated. He sighed, he hated doctors.

"Miss Marquez's blood was filled with a poison called Botulinum Toxin. It is a deadly poison and we are not sure how it got there."

"Are you blaming me?" he asked furiously.

"Well," he said. "We need to know her alibi and what she ate."

"I think she went to the Life Café this afternoon, but other than that, all she takes is her AZT."

"We checked her stomach and the last dose of AZT was around 11 last night."

"Son of a-" Roger was cut of by the doctor's large hand on his shoulder.

"Is there any other form of medication in the house?" he asked.

"Mine," Roger mumbled. "I just recently got it and haven't used it yet." He pulled the bottle out of his pocket and gave it to the doctor.

"Who prescribed this to you?" he said suddenly, reading the bottle.

"You guys," Roger said feeling confused. "I got a call about two days ago, I believe. I came here and a doctor gave it to me."

"We do not hand out medication here," the doctor said, flipping through his clipboard. "We give slips of paper and then you pick it up at the pharmacy. You aren't on record to get another bottle for a while, I believe. Who saw you in?"

Roger pointed to the young girl behind the counter. The doctor briskly walked over and spoke sternly with the girl. She looked as if she was going to cry when the doctor came back.

"Look Doctor………." he looked down at the nameplate, "Hanlon, I don't understand. Are you saying I got the wrong prescription?"

"I am saying someone who isn't a doctor gave you the pills. They are poisonous pills that are meant for death over a long period of intakes. Perhaps someone in a hospital tampered with your prescription, because it is available in hospitals to help patients with nerve or muscle disorder. That is why she collapsed and lost body function. There was an awfully large amount of it in her body, more than any patient is supposed to take."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Roger roared.

"Mimi took these pills. You said that you never opened them and yet the bottle is open. The poison contained in here is identical to the poison in her blood stream. Someone obviously got hold of a hospital supply and tampered with it."

"Is she go………going to……to……..di……..die?" Roger asked slowly.

"No," he said. "She only got a small supplement and if you had found her any later, than she would have probably been on her deathbed by now." Roger silently thanked the fact that he was horrible at taking pills, which led him to need water every time he had to take his AZT. He silently thanked the fact that the kitchen sink was not working. "Do you have any idea who gave you these pills?"

"Um…he said he was a doctor and he was about my height, maybe a little shorter. He had dirty brown hair and….." Roger trailed off trying to remember what he looked like.

"I will check the surveillance tapes for that day and get back to you," he said. "In the meantime, I suggest you get some rest. Your wife….she is your wife, right?"

"No," Roger said, feeling stupid. "Girlfriend."

"Forgive me," he said. "She was rambling on about marriage and a guy named Roger, I thought she might have been talking about you. Anyway, she will be in here for the next three days."

Roger went to go sit on the chair in the lobby, when Collins came running over.

"Where is she?" Collins asked frantically.

Roger pointed to the door that contained his girlfriend. He slowly closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened them, he saw Maya staring at him.

"Can I help you?" Roger asked, irritably.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she sighed. "For letting me come and everything."

"Well," he said. "You are Mimi are really close, so it made sense."

"Why are you out here?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"Why are _you?_"

"I am making sure _you_ are alright."

"I am just giving Mimi some space and being less overprotective," he said.

Maya laughed, which made Roger jump slightly. Her laugh sounded just like Mimi's. It made him want to laugh too. Her eyes twinkled like Mimi's did as well.

"What?" he said slowly.

"I am just surprised. You actually matured and listened to Mimi."

"Well Maya, I am a major procrastinator. I put everything on hold until something is at stake. I loved Mimi for a year and didn't tell her until she almost died. I don't listen to people, until the last possible moment. I am not mature, trust me."

"Yes you are," she laughed. "You could be a total jackass and give up on life."

"I am a jackass who gave up on life," he said staring at her.

"You're right. You are a jackass, but you didn't give up on life. You may not know it, but you have been fighting to the core. I bet you haven't even noticed that you have been getting deathly pale and very sick. You just keep telling yourself that you are a loser who gave up on life, but in reality you are using all your energy to stay alive. You are staying alive for Mimi and most importantly you are being strong for her. And I think deep, deep, deep, _deep_ down you know this is true. You know that you are fighting for her." Maya stopped and stared at him.

"You know what Maya," he said. "That thought of a kid in the house scared me. My old girlfriend wanted a kid, but I said "no." This sent her into a state of depression. The thought of being responsible scared me."

"Is that why April killed herself? Cause you said no," Maya asked

"No. The thought of AIDS killed her. I loved her, but she took the shortcut in life with everything. She wanted to die her way and not anybody else's."

"Roger," Maya said, changing the subject. "Responsibility shouldn't scare you. You are responsible. Responsible for Mimi and it shows. She would definitely be lost without you."

Roger continued as if he didn't hear her. "The thought of being responsible scared me. I knew Collins would be your true father, but I knew since we were a family, a part of me would take responsibility for you. When I first heard about you though, a part me wanted to take you in and be a dad to you. Than, I thought of how that would turn out………._bad. _So I pushed you and everything that had to do with you away. You know what, though, you are a great kid. And you are even starting to grow on me. I am sorry for being rude or giving you a harsh welcome. Can we start over?"

Maya smiled with a few tears in her eyes.

"Hi I am Maya," she said. "Tom's kid."

"Hi," Roger said seriously, trying to suppress a smile. "I am Roger. I am Tom's x-roommate. Welcome to the family. If you ever need anything, I am here. I just wanted to let you know that."

Maya laughed loudly and leaned over and hugged Roger.


	2. Tango Act

**Second chapter. There is no actual tango in this chapter, but reference to it. Enjoy. Please review. Love you guys.**

**Tango Act**

"Roger it is time to go," Mark said.

Mimi smiled sadly.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" she asked.

"Of course, it is Valentine's Day tomorrow."

"Shoot! My gift for you is at home," she cried.

"Tell you what," Mark said. "We will all celebrate this pointless Hallmark holiday when Mimi gets home."

"Deal," Roger said.

"Fine," she said. "That doesn't excuse you from coming back tomorrow."

Roger kissed her and left with Mark. Maureen, Collins, and Maya were standing in the lobby.

"Today has been a long day," Maureen sighed. "I am so tired."

"Poor Mimi has to miss her last day of work," Mark pointed out. Roger shushed him.

"She probably hasn't noticed yet," Roger said. "When she does, I can guarantee all hell will break loose." They all walked out of the hospital.

"Anyone have any cash on them?" Roger asked.

Everyone shook their heads, which made Roger feel even poorer than usual. "Are we walking?" Maya asked, breaking the silence.

The five of them advanced forward. The temperature had dropped dramatically with the sunset. Roger pulled his leather jacket farther around him.

Maureen, whose outfit could barely be counted as "clothing," was as close to Mark as she could possibly get.

Suddenly, a white escalade pulled up next to them. A short, African American lady rolled down the window.

"Maureen? Mark? Roger? Collins?" she asked out into the darkness.

"Joanne?" Maureen shrieked.

"Do you guys want a ride?" she asked. Joanne wasn't in the mood for their lame explanations and she didn't want to be seen on the East side of town.

Roger opened the door, without another word. A small girl was sitting in a car seat. They all pushed into the car, while Collins sat in the front, with Maya on his lap.

"Where were you guys coming from?" she said to Collins.

"The hospital," he said. "Mimi is in there."

"Oh my god! What happened?" she said swerving around a pothole.

"Long story, short, she was poisoned by Roger's medication," he laughed. "She is fine, though."

"Music," the little girl, who looked to be about 3, spoke up.

"Sorry Rosie," Joanne mumbled, turning on a tape that sounded very similar to The Lion King.

"So what have you been up to," she said, looking at Maya.

"This is my new daughter, Maya," he said. Maya stuck out her hand.

"Hi," she said. "I am-"

"Joanne," Maya said cutting her off.

"I see you have heard about me," Joanne said, looking in the rearview mirror and giving Maureen a dirty look. Maureen was looking out the window however.

"I adopted her from one of my co-workers who passed away," Collins said sadly.

"I am sorry to here about your dad, but you are lucky to have Collins," Joanne said.

"Oh he wasn't my dad," Maya laughed. "He was my adopted father." Joanne just smiled and looked forward.

"Who is this?" Roger asked, after he felt the tension continue to rise in the car.

"Rosaline Nicole Hans-Dawson, my boyfriend's daughter."

"You have a boyfriend?" Collins asked surprised.

"Yes," she said defensively. "We have been dating since Christmas. I have never been happier. We started the Hans & Jefferson firm around January. We were both the top of our class. We are a perfect match." She stopped and smiled. "I have never been happier," she repeated, as Maureen's words rang through her head, _"You're not happy Joanne. I can tell"_

"Well then I guess that is good news," Mark laughed nervously. Joanne simply stared at him and nodded.

"_How dare he act that way," _Joanne thought. _"He knows that the fact that him and Maur are together, is tearing me apart. Maybe he likes to see me squirm. He likes to feel stronger than someone. I just can't believe after all the horrible things he said about her, the first time I met him, he took her back. He was probably just saying it to make me dump her. Well, are you happy Mark? It worked. Your fucking tango act worked. Hooray for you. Hooray for"-_

"Joanne?" Collins said, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you going to pull over?"

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you just passed the loft," Roger said.

Joanne blushed and turned the car around. She pulled up in front of the dirty apartment buildings and stopped the car.

"Mark," she said as they got out of the car. "Don't forget to come by so you can film the conference. Dave wants a commercial soon. He likes a tight schedule."

"Wow," Maureen whispered, turning to her. "You two really are perfect for each other. I am really happy for you Jo."

"Thanks Mo," Joanne said out of habit. "I mean Maureen." With that, she pulled away.

_Perfect. Fucking perfect._

"Marcus Cohen," said Maureen once they got into the house. "What is that about filming her?"

"I am going to film a piece of their conference for their commercial," Mark said, looking through the lens of his camera.

"Why?" she said.

"Money," he laughed.

"Are you kidding me?" Maureen sniffed. "Why are you going to help her? I thought you were on my side."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Mark said looking at her.

"Shut up!" she cried. "Of course not. I just don't want you to see her. You know what happened the last time. You tangoed with her."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I had spent the night in the lot across the street and he said he saw Joanne tangoing in the building."

"Who was it you were staying with?" Mark said stopping.

"A bartender I had met the night before," she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, so it is okay for you to sleep with a total stranger, but I cannot harmlessly dance with a fellow tango-er?"

"Yes!" she cried.

"You're impossible," he said, sitting down. Maureen snatched the camera out of his hand.

"Maureen," he said seriously.

"I will drop this baby out the window if you don't stop!" she cried.

"STOP WHAT?" he yelled.

"Stop……….stop……………." Maureen couldn't even remember her original point. She looked at Mark and began feeling very angry.

She dropped the camera on his lap and lightly slapped him across the cheek. Tears were forming in her eyes and she stormed into the bedroom.


	3. Loving Girlfriend

**I give you permission to hate me. I really do. I haven't updated this story all summer or the first month of school. I really should thank Data Girl 3, because she basically gave me the will to continue to update. I really hope you read it.**

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**Loving Girlfriend**

_The graveyard looked very pretty and festive. Just the way she would have wanted it. She was always saying she didn't want to die in a scary place. She would never admit it, but I think she was afraid of the dark. I always saw her run into the bed really fast when I made her shut off the lights. She had a weird way of jumping 10 feet away from the bed and managing to land on the mattress. I think she thought something was under the bed and that it was trying to get her. One time I asked her about it, but she just said she wanted to get into bed fast so she could sleep. I sighed. Now, she would have eternal sleep. Everlasting sleep is what Angel would call it. I hated that term. _

_I hated my outfit at the moment too. I couldn't stand suits. I would rather be wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She once told me that she wanted people to wear red at her funeral, because it was a prettier color than black. I laughed at the thought of wearing red. Then I frowned at the thought of her being dead. I always thought I would die before her, but I guess I was wrong. I waited in line to see her precious headstone. Why am I at the back of the line? I was her boyfriend. Does anyone care? Not many people are there. I sigh. I don't recognize anybody. I can't see anybody's faces either. Anyone in a situation like mine would not care about the surroundings, but I was different. That was the only thing I wanted to look at. I decided to finally, look forward. I saw the freshly dug up plot of land and my stomach churned. I wanted to bury myself in that dirt and make my way down, until I found her. I wanted to hold her hand one more time. I wanted to be with her._

_I saw her tombstone. I turn around and see my friends urging me to go forward. I look at the beautiful inscription. I don't notice anything but the part that says "Miss" I didn't like the way it looked. "Loving Girlfriend" meant nothing to me. I heard a person pass by me._

"_Oh," he said. "She was just a girlfriend. If she was alive, that is basically a way to say 'I am seeing someone, but I am available.'" The man laughed and walked away._

_He was right. Girlfriend just meant someone that I could call my lover, but I could never call them mine. _

_I wish I had done it sooner. I wish I had made her mine, before it was too late. I wish I could turn back time and bring her back. I had been spoiled by the thought of bringing her back. Now she was gone and for good this time. I knew it too. I wouldn't deny it anymore. I would just regret it. Regret it, regret it, and regret it. I would never forget the regret. _

_Why didn't I do it sooner? Why?_

Roger sat up, sweating. He looked outside, the sun was just rising.

"I know what to get her for Valentine's Day," he said, smiling. He went to stand up, but the room began to spin slightly. He lay back down and decided to sleep until the sun was totally out.

He closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep when he heard a knock on the door.

"Hello?" he asked sleepily.

"Are you okay?" said Maya. She had pink fuzzy slippers and a long white robe on. She was staring at Roger with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" she repeated.

"Yes," he said, yawning. "Why?"

"You were yelling in your sleep," she said. "Tom sent me up to see if you were okay."

"I am fine," he said. "What time is it?"

"Around 6 I think," she said.

"Do you want to go to the stores with me?" he asked.

"Since when does the famous rock star wake up early?" she laughed.

"It is important," he said. Maya thought for a moment and nodded.

"I will meet you here in 10 minutes," she said.

Maya ran into her apartment and knocked on Collins' door. "Tom," she called. "I am going to the stores with Roger."

"Now?" he asked from his bedroom, sleepily.

"Yes now," Maya said. "Can I go?"

"Just be careful," Tom yawned.

Maya ran to her room and threw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt that said NYU. It was Tom's and when she wore it, it really made her feel a part of a family. She was never allowed to wear clothing from her old dad. He was too egocentric. Maya smiled sadly. No matter how self-centered as he was, though, he was so nice and caring and Maya definitely missed him.

She threw her hair in a ponytail and made her way upstairs.

"Rog," she called threw the door.

Roger was waiting on the couch. He had already been dressed when he went to sleep, so he was ready.

"_Mimi?"_ he thought instantly. No one had ever called him Rog but Mimi. He ran to open the door, when he saw Maya. He frowned, remembering it would be impossible for Mimi to be here.

"Ready?" she said.

"Yea," Roger whispered. He had a small white envelope in his back pocket as he closed the door.

"Do you want a coat?" she asked. "It is beginning to snow."

"I'm fine," he said. The two walked down the street. The wind was picking up quickly as they trudged through the city.

"Where are we going?" Maya asked.

"The Jewelry store," Roger yelled over the wind.

"Why?" she asked.

"I need to get Mimi something."

The store was on the better side of town. It was wedged between an eye care center and a Macy's. It was a pale blue building with a window display that had gorgeous diamonds sparkling under the spotlight.

"Maybe we shouldn't," Roger sighed, turning around.

"What is your plan?" Maya asked. She stood in front of him and stared up at his unshaved face.

"We look out of place in there," he said.

"What is your plan," she said firmly.

"We can look for another place closer to our side of town."

"What is your plan?"

"I guess I could just get her flowers. Is that a good idea?" he asked no one in particular.

"WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?" Maya yelled.

Roger looked down at her. "I want to make Mimi Marquez my wife." He hung his head and rubbed his temples.

"Roger," she said. "You need to do what you have to do now. I don't mean next week, next month, or next year. I mean _now._"

Roger looked at her and nodded. "I will, under one circumstance."

"What?" she asked.

"You need to help me pick out the diamond."

Maya smiled and slid her arm through his in a sisterly way. "Of course," she said.

o o o o o

Mark woke up and spun around, cracking his back. He hated sleeping on the couch. It killed in the morning. He looked around the room for the last place he put his glasses. When he found them, the room came into focus. He gasped. There were red petals all over the couch.

"Maureen," he called.

"Pookie," she cried, coming out of the bedroom, wearing all red. "Happy Valentine's Day!" She gave him a big kiss, which made Mark push her away.

"What about last night? Aren't you still angry?" he sat down on the couch and stared at her.

"Listen Pookie, I am very sorry, because I know I overreacted. I was thinking that I need to put _her _behind me. Forgive me?" She stuck out her bottom lip and gave him a puppy dog look.

"Fine," he said. "What are all the roses for?"

Maureen smiled. "It's Valentine's Day and I wanted to give you something special. I love you."

She handed a rectangle wrapped gift. The wrapping paper was red with pink hearts. She looked very proud of it.

He slowly opened it and smiled. It was a pink fuzzy frame. It looked like a small child had made it, because it had dried hot glue on it. In the frame was a photo of Maureen. It looked as if it had been taken recently. She had her back to the camera, but her head was turned over her shoulder. Her eyes were sparkling and mysterious at the same time. It was in black and white. The only color was her red sweater. It made the picture even more glamorous. He then looked at her hands in the picture, which were hanging at her side. She had a camera that looked identical to Mark's dangling from her right hand. Mark looked at his girlfriend and smiled.

"I love it," he said.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she said. It was so typical of Maureen to get people a picture of herself as a gift.

"I thought we were going to wait until Mimi got home?" Mark said.

"I couldn't wait," she said. She stood up to go make some coffee.

"I suppose you want your gift?" he laughed.

She looked up at him, trying to look surprised. "Me?" she asked.

"Yes you. Do you want your gift?" he laughed.

"I didn't think you were getting me something," she said, even though she knew perfectly well she was getting a gift.

"Who did your picture?" he asked, pulling out a white sheet.

"The place downtown. I was saving the money to take a picture for my protest posters, but you're more important."

Mark rolled his eyes. He quickly ran to find his camera and the projector.

"It isn't much, but I think you'll like it," he said, turning the camera on. Dust shot out in big puffs when the old projector fan began spinning rapidly.

The screen turned on and big red letters spelt out: **_Maureen._**

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**Read and Review!**


	4. The Point of No Return

**Hmmph I hate homework. So I am ignoring it and posting for you. My next post will probably be tomorrow or the day after. The faster you review, the faster I post.**

**By the way: This chapter picks up exactly where the last chapter left off, with the movie. **

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**The Point of No Return_  
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_There was a soft, romantic song playing in the background. The first shot was of Maureen, four years earlier. She was sitting on the couch, looking very tired. She looked up at the camera and smiled. She had on a large sweatshirt and Mark's pajama pants on her small body._

_The next shot was of Maureen, dressed up in a black cocktail dress. She was holding a high-heeled stiletto up to her mouth and she was singing into it. The music slowly faded with the picture. The last thing seen on the screen was her big, pink colored lips._

_The next shot came up on Maureen walking down the street, skipping. Mark was filming from the window._

"_I don't even know what date it is," his voice sighed. "I don't care anymore, Maureen is gone."_

_The next shot was of Maureen's protest. She was standing on the stage, smiling her biggest smile. She laughed and waved to the camera. The next shot went into her sitting on Allison's father's lap at the Life Café._

_The next shot was current. It was her sleeping. She had her lips in a straight line. Her eyes were delicately closed. She had the large quilt wrapped around her tightly. She opened her eyes and glared at the camera._

"_Out," she yelled. Mark laughed from behind the camera._

_She smiled, blew a kiss, and pulled the covers over her head._

_The scene faded and Maureen came up on the screen. She was dancing around the living room. Other people were in the background, but the camera was focused on her. _

_Half of Mark's face and half of Maureen's face came into view. Mark was holding the camera at arm's length, trying to get both of them into the shot._

"_Hi everybody," Maureen giggled._

"_Who are you saying hi to?" Mark asked._

"_Anyone who is watching," she laughed._

_Mark turned and kissed her deeply. The camera fell out of Mark's hand and landed gently on the floor. The shot was sideways and it revealed the couple' feet. Maureen had on fuzzy, pink slippers. Mark was wearing old, white socks. The camera finally went black and the next shot came up on the old couch, held together by duck tape and the will of God._

_Mark's hands came in front of the camera lens and the camera zoomed in slightly. Then, he ran, fast towards the couch and sat down. He was holding black and white roses._

"_Hi Maureen," he said, nervously. "I bought you these flowers to represent your protest about the cow. Than, Roger made fun of me, so I decided to get you something meaningful. I know how you like to be the center of attention, so I thought, 'what would be better than a video all about you?' So I made this tape and stuck together some of the best moments of you ever captured on film. Of course, a mere tape cannot catch the beauty and significance of you. I guess what I am trying to say is……….." He stopped and swallowed loudly. "I love you Maureen. I am not just saying it like I used to. I really, really love you. I love the way you are always in my mind and how when I see you I swoon. I love the way how you always keep me guessing. I feel like going insane, with a fire in my brain, and I am always think of drinking gasoline sometimes when you do things that drive me crazy, but…………….." He stopped again and blushed. "I love every minute of it. I have no more juice in my battery," he said suddenly. He stood up and came closer to the camera._

"_Happy Valentine's Day Maur, I love you."_

_The screen went black and soft, sweet music played as words began to pop up onto the screen. _

Maureen

Happy Valentine's Day

Love, Mark

Maureen turned to look at her boyfriend.

"Sorry it was short," he said, "I kinda had to rush when I was making it."

"Mark," she said slowly. "I loved it."

"Really?" he asked his face lighting up.

"I love you Pookie," she said, kissing him. Then she pulled away, "I mean Mark." He smiled and began to kiss her some more as she pushed him back onto the couch.

o o o o o

Roger sat on the comfortable chairs, provided at the jewelry store. Maya was walking around, looking in the glass boxes that contained the sparking diamonds. The glass was spotless and bright lights hit the stones, making them shine brilliantly. The diamonds she was looking at were the kind that people only dreamed about buying. She glanced over at the old, blonde haired lady in the red suit. She had on a Valentine's Day pin and was talking rapidly to a customer in a fur coat. Maya suddenly felt out of place in the store. She looked at Roger, but he had his eyes glued to the floor.

"Well hello," the lady said in a sing-song, motherly voice. "I am Trisha. What can I do for you today?"

"Roger," Maya called. Roger looked up and immediately bolted to the girl's side, as if he was trained.

"We are looking for a diamond engagement ring for my girlfriend," said Roger. Maya giggled lightly, because it sounded as if he had rehearsed it millions of times. She then stopped smiling and remembered all the times Roger was going to attempt to ask Mimi to be his bride. He most likely did practice his jeweler speech a million times. Maya didn't even want to think about how long he was going to practice his proposal speech.

"Well you have come to the right place," she smiled. She brought them over to a glass display. "What is your budget sir?"

Roger stared at her. He had never been called "sir" before. "Two thousand."

Maya looked at him. The lady walked away.

"Where did you get 2,000?" she asked.

"Trust me," he sighed. "It isn't a lot. I have been saving it for a long time. I wanted to spend much more on her, but I didn't have the time."

"You could be using this money for rent," she sighed.

"Rent isn't everything Maya," he looked at her and smiled. "There are more important things in life."

The lady came back with a large book.

"Okay," the lady said. "What do you think would suit the lucky woman's needs?"

"_Lucky," _Roger thought. He began to realize just how lucky he was to have her.

o o o o o

Mimi hated hospitals. She hated the smell of disinfectant. She hated the white, which was everywhere. One day she wanted to come in and paint everything a certain color. She wasn't sure what color, but anything but white would do. She also hated the fake cheer everyone had plastered on their faces. It reminded Mimi of high school where you pretended to be everyone's friend, but behind their back, called them "sluts" or "whores." In Mimi's case though, they were going behind her back and saying, "She doesn't have much time left."

Mimi yawned. She was so bored. Earlier in the evening a group of Girl Scouts had come and brought candy. They were so happy and sang songs in the lobby. Mimi heard them and wished she was out there. She wished she was a Girl Scout, still.

_I came from Spain with broken English when I was about 12. The kids in my school used to talk behind my back. I heard them. The first day to school, I remember I had to explain myself._

"_This is Mariana Marquez," the teacher said. "Tell us about yourself Mariana."_

"_I came from Spain con mi Mama, mi Tia, mi Papa, y mi abuelo. Yo tengo un gato y"-_

_I was cut off by the teacher, who was laughing. "Try not to break into Spanish please, we speak English here," she said._

_I didn't know how to say I came from Spain with my mom, my aunt, my dad, and my grandfather. I didn't know how to tell the kids I had a cat, who I loved more than anything. So I just stood there and said the few things I knew how to say in English._

"_My name is Mariana, I came from Spain, and I like to dance."_

_The teacher seemed pleased, so I took my seat._

_There was a tall, skinny, blonde haired girl who sat next to me. She was one of the girl's whom you wanted to hate immediately, but you couldn't help but love. She was one of the girls I wanted to become best friends with, but I would always hate being with her._

"_Do you eat food?" she asked rudely._

"_Yes," I said._

"_You should eat with us," she said. "I'm Hannah." _

_I smiled and felt welcomed. That was until my fourth month in school, where I knew English very well and started making friends._

_Hannah taught me all there was to know. She told me Girl Scouts was the best club ever. She said once you became a cheerleader, you automatically became a slut. She said dancing and singing was useless. She said guys don't like girls who can play sports. She also told me never to eat the meat from the cafeteria, because it had spiders in it. I believed every word and followed her every command._

_There was this boy who I absolutely loved. His name was Fred. He had long blonde hair and blue eyes. He was the ideal American boy._

_One day, he asked me to a dance. I said yes. I was so excited. That day, was the day I was about to sign up for Girl Scouts, too. Hannah was in it and her mom was the troop leader, so I knew I was definitely going to make it. I went home after school to practice my lines._

"_On my honor, I will try, to serve God and my country and to……..to…………..to……" I began to stutter. I looked at my mom for help. She simply stared down at the sheet I had given her to make sure my lines were correct. I stuck my tongue out in concentration, which was a cue for my mother to help._

"_Ayudas personas a todos tiempos," she said, starting the next line for me._

"_Right," I said. "To help people at all times," after that, the rest of the speech kicked in, "and to live by the Girl Scout law."_

"_Muy bien," she clapped._

_My aunt Mercedes walked into the room and held up her car keys._

"_Ready?" she asked. I kissed my mother and hopped into the car. _

"_Wait here," I told my aunt and I went into the building to recite the Girl Scout Promise._

"_Hi Hannah," I said. She gave me a dirty look and frowned._

"_You are dating my brother," she said._

"_Your who?" I asked, beginning to notice the other girls staring at me._

"_Fred, my brother! You are such a whore. You are fat, ugly, and stupid. I hate you. Why would you do that?" Hannah's mother glared at me and pointed to the door._

"_There is no room for Spanish girls in this troop. How about you go back to your country?" the mother said coldly. I ran out of the room crying. Never had anyone insulted me that badly._

"_What is wrong?" my aunt cried as I got into the car._

"_Oh Tia Mercedes! Hannah dice mi gorda, fea, y estupida! Hannah's mama dice mi ir a Spain. Me no gusta Girl Scouts." I cried in Spanish. I knew what I was saying sounded babyish, but I didn't care. My aunt drove me home and put me in my room. She told my mother what happened. The two drove back to the building and gave Hannah's mom a double Spanish nightmare, I assume. I didn't care. _

_To this day, I still don't know why Hannah reacted the way she did. It was immature and I knew it._

_Just to piss her off, I continued dating her brother and I joined the cheerleading squad. I was named captain and head dancer. All the guys began to notice me and I got my first kiss in seventh grade, which was earlier than all the other girls. I was later called horrible names, which went past the limits of "whore" and "slut," but I didn't care. I had made a whole new group of preppy, cheerleader friends. I was happy, but every time I heard about Girl Scouts or saw the troop get badges, I felt pain. I wanted to be the girl in green, accepting a citizenship award. I never did, though. I just continued dancing and slipping farther and farther into a point of no return._

"Excuse me?" said a small voice, which jolted Mimi from her thoughts. A small oriental girl with bright pink braces was standing in the doorway. Her hair was in pigtails and she had on a green Girl Scout vest.

"Can I help you?" Mimi asked, sitting up.

"Do you want any sugar treats?" she asked in a rehearsed voice.

"Are you with the Girl Scouts," she asked.

"Yes, I am Demaris." the girl said, walking in. "I am a junior Girl Scout."

"What grade are you in?" she asked the girl, who had sat down at the end of the bed.

"Sixth," she said. "Why are you alone on Valentine's Day?"

"My boyfriend should be coming later. Do you have a valentine?"

"No," the girl blushed. "Guys really don't like metal mouths."

"That is not true," Mimi laughed. "You just need to confront guys. They are insecure. You need to take control."

The girl laughed.

"Why are you in the hospital?" she asked, handing Mimi a pre-made bag of candy.

"I was kind of poisoned," Mimi laughed. "Long story."

"Are you allowed to walk?" she asked eagerly.

"I think," Mimi said. "Why?"

"Well," she said, "I was wondering if you wanted to come down to the cafeteria with me."

Mimi thought about how she hated cafeteria food and always did. Then she looked at the small girl. No one should be alone on Valentine's Day.

"Sure," Mimi said, climbing out of bed and of bed and followed Demaris downstairs.

o o o o o

"One year, Maureen gave me a rose she had gotten from another man on Valentine's Day," Joanne said. "I hated her for it, but I remember keeping that flower near me for the rest of the night."

"Great," David said, sounding bored.

"Sorry," she blushed. "I am talking too much about the past."

David laughed and reached out to touch Joanne's hair. It was in a bun as usual. He gently took the clip off and let her hair fall around her shoulders.

"Your hair got long," he said.

"Does it look bad?" she asked.

"No," he smiled.

"Maureen used to tell me that she liked it short, so I always kept it short and when I kicked her out"-

"Joanne," David said placing a hand on hers. "You need to stop thinking about her."

"Sorry," Joanne said. "It is just so hard to-"

"Well then get back together with her," David said bitterly. The couple was sitting on a small white boat, cruising down the Hudson River. Joanne leaned her head on David's shoulder.

"I kicked her out for a reason. If I still loved her, I would still be with her."

"You sure seem to have feeling for her still, because she is all you have been talking about for the past 24 hours."

"I guess the holiday is just messing with my head," Joanne laughed. She gently kissed her boyfriend and stared out onto the water.

"Are you planning on seeing any of the lofters tonight?" David asked.

Joanne laughed. "Lofters" had been the word David chose to call Joanne's old friends.

"I wasn't planning on it. I might go see Tom, because he actually still respects me somewhat. Maureen is not on speaking terms with me, which takes the chance of seeing Mimi out of the picture. Roger never really was the warmest kind and seeing Mark is too awkward."

David nodded and pointed in the foggy distance at the Statue of Liberty. His dark colored skin glistened in the sunlight that was peeking out through the clouds. His brown eyes glistened as he smiled at Joanne. His hair fell in his face slightly, given him the appearance of a young child.

_David is so cute. Why can't I just be happy here? I just keep wondering what would happen if I go back to the loft and confront Maureen. Maybe she will take me back and I can forget about David. David is so cute though. Around him, I feel like his sister though. I hate this stupid holiday._


	5. Diamonds

**I'm back!**

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**Diamonds  
**

"I like this one," Maya said, pointing to a big diamond.

"My wallet doesn't," Roger mumbled.

Trisha pulled out the small rack covered in black velvet. Lying on the tray was a beautiful selection of diamonds.

"These are some of the best diamonds we have under your budget," she said. "I will let you look for a moment, if you will excuse me."

"Before you give your input, just remember Mimi is on the simpler side," Roger said to the young girl.

"Trust me," Maya laughed. "When it comes to diamonds, no girl is simple."

After a good 20 minute discussion and Maya complaining that the bigger the diamond, the more she will like it, they narrowed it down to four rings. One was a huge diamond on a silver band. The other was a smaller, oval shaped diamond, with a small one on either side of it. The third one had a square shaped diamond. The last one had a good sized diamond on a thick silver band. It had little diamonds surrounding the large one.

"Which one do you think Maya?" asked Roger. Maya looked at him and smiled sadly.

"I helped you narrow down to here," Maya said. "You are the one proposing, so you need to make the final decision."

Roger swallowed hard and raised his hand over the pile of rings. He concentrated hard and tried to think of what Mimi would like. He disregarded the big one, because it was just too big. The one with the three stones stood for the past, present, and future in Roger's eyes and Mimi was always saying _No Day but Today,_ so he didn't choose that one. He looked at the last two and suddenly, as if someone was guiding his hand, he picked up the last one. He held it up to the light and watched the large diamond sparkle and the little ones follow its lead.

"Good choice," Maya gasped at the ring's beauty. Roger smiled and paid for the engagement ring.

o o o o o

"Hi," Demaris whispered to a young boy sitting up in his bed.

Mimi and Demaris were walking through the Children's Cancer section. Other Girl Scouts were walking around, greeting the patients.

It hurt Mimi to see all of these young, sick children. She did not even want to imagine what the _Children with AIDS_ section of the hospital looked like.

Demaris began talking to a cute boy around her age. He was beginning to get bald spots. He looked very pale, but his eyes sparkled as he laughed at what Demaris was saying.

Mimi tapped Demaris on the shoulder.

"I am going to go to the cafeteria real quick, I will be right back," Mimi said. Demaris nodded and turned back to the boy.

Mimi shuffled down the hall into the small cafeteria. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down, taking a deep sip.

A brown-haired whirlwind zoomed over to the table, grabbing Mimi in a gigantic, bear hug. Mimi clutched her coffee cup, to keep it from spilling onto her lap. The girl held her at arm's length and Mimi laughed.

Maureen was dressed in all red and had heart shaped hair clips in her crazy hair.

"Happy V Day," Maureen laughed. Mark came up behind Maureen.

"How are you?" he asked, pulling Mimi into a hug.

"Fine," she said. "How did you know I would be down here?"

"We went to your room and the nurse said you took a walk," Maureen responded. "We figured you would be getting coffee.

"And I see we were right," Mark said, sitting across from them.

"Have you seen Roger at all today?" the young hospital patient asked.

"Nope," Maureen said, looking at her nails, which were painted bright pink. "He left before any of us even woke up. He took Maya shopping or something."

"That doesn't sound like Roger," she mumbled.

"So how are you?" Mark said, putting his hand on hers.

"I'm doing well. I am so glad you guys came by. I have been hanging out with Girl Scouts all day."

"That is cool," Maureen said in a dull tone. "Was your manager pissed?"

Mimi stared at Maureen. "What?"

"That you missed your last day," Maureen said. Mark kicked her lightly in the shin. "OW. What?" she yelled dramatically.

"Oh shit," Mimi said. She began cursing and complaining in a hushed Spanish.

"I am so stupid," Mimi finished, letting her head fall into her hands.

Mark put his hand on her shoulder.

A young nurse in all white walked into the room and looked around. A sign of relief came over her face when she saw Mimi.

The nurse was very pale and had her black hair tied into a bun. She had big red lips and piercing green eyes.

"Miss Marquez," she said. "We have been looking for you. You have a visitor by the name of," she glanced at her clipboard, "Thomas Collins."

"Oh," Mimi said. "Thank you." Maureen jumped up and grabbed her friend's hand as she ran to find Collins.

"See you later Pookie," Maureen yelled.

The nurse looked at Mark, who was still sitting at the table.

"Pookie?" she asked.

"Oh," Mark blushed and then cleared his throat. "Hi I'm Mark. Mark Cohen."

"Nicolletta," she said, reaching out her hand. "Nicolletta Pascal."

"Hi," Mark said goofily.

Nicolletta smiled and sat down.

"Are you _with _Mimi?" the nurse blurted out.

"Oh no," he said. "I am with….." he trailed off and stared into the nurse's eyes. "Hi, I'm Mark."

Nicolletta laughed and continued to hypnotize the young film maker with her beauty.

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**Reviews please!**


	6. Clouded Memories

_**Disclaimer: Jonathon Larson obviously.**_

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**Clouded Memories**

"Mimi," Collins said, hugging her. Maureen ran and jumped into his arms.

"Thanks for saying 'hi' to _me,_" she pouted, laughing at her former roommate.

"How dare I forget _you,_" he said, placing her back on the ground. Mimi led the two of them into her room.

"Have you seen Roger at all today?" Mimi asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Nope," Collins said, taking a seat in a chair against the wall. "Maya and he left real early for something."

Mimi nodded and brought her knees up to her chest. Lately, she had been craving her beloved drugs. She was not sure why. She thought it was because she was in a hospital. She knew she could never go back, though. Every time she even thought of going back to drugs, the memory of Roger throwing the powder back at her flashed through her head. She remembers so well, the way his eyes clouded over with hurt.

_The lights of the CatScratch Club sign were blinking. Smoke was rising up out of the sewers. I crossed the street quickly, avoiding cabs, which would stop for nothing. I could see The Man in plain sight. His face allowed me to release a sigh of relief. He had the good stuff. The stuff I was illing for. I didn't want to hurt Roger, but he didn't understand my pain. I was addicted!_

"_Mimi," The Man's low, gruff voice startled me. "I thought you were too whipped to go outside."_

"_What are you talking about?" I snapped._

"_You know damn well what I am talking about. Your dumbass rocker boyfriend keeping you away from the finer things in life. He is holding you back babe." _

"_Just give me the good stuff."_

"_It's gonna cost you a little extra. You lost your regular customer discount."_

"_What the fuck? Why?" I cried._

"_You aren't a regular customer," he laughed. "You know the drill." He handed me a small bag of white powder._

"_Thanks. I will see you tomorrow."_

_He nodded and turned back to stand in the darker shadows of the alley. And when I turned around, I walked right into Roger, who was coming at me quickly._

_He didn't even say anything. His face was livid. He snatched the bag out of my hand and shook it in my face._

"_WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS?"_

_I pushed back against him, trying to get distance between us. "Roger this isn't what it looks like. I mean….. You don't understand! YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!"_

_He grabbed my face suddenly. I thought he was trying to hurt me, so I began to thrash away from him, but he had my face in his hands and was forcing me to look into his eyes. _

"_You promised me Mimi," he whispered. His eyes were in so much pain. I wanted to hold him. I wanted him to hold me. I just wanted him to be happy and stop hurting. "You promised."_

"_Roger, I-"_

_He quickly let go of me and I took that as a chance to take a swing at him, but I missed._

"_Whatever," he said, shrugging, walking backwards. "You are pathetic." He threw the bag at me, hitting me in the chest. It shouldn't have hurt, but it did. "I just won't help you anymore. I don't even care."_

_I watched him walk away and I began to cry. Against all better judgment, I picked up the bag, and walked away in the opposite direction, rubbing my shoulders. He didn't care about me anymore? What did I do?_

o o o o o

"Are you proposing to her at a _hospital_?" Maya asked Roger once they were on the street.

"Oh," Roger said. "I never thought of that."

"Let's go back to the apartment and drop it off. Then we can go see Mimi." Maya led the way back to the Loft. The temperature had dropped even lower, since that morning. The sky had a threatening look of snow.

Once they made it back to the loft, Roger descended the stairs two by two and ran to the loft. He took the little box and hid it under the hotplate, which no one used.

"Roger?" said a voice from behind him. He snapped to attention, spun around, and saw Joanne sitting on the couch.

"Hi Joanne," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, waiting for Maureen. I need to talk to her." Joanne was wearing all red, which was a first for her. She had on fishnet stockings, which looked like they belonged to Maureen.

"She is at the hospital," Roger said.

"Why," Joanne shouted.

"Mimi is in there. Long story, I will have to tell you later. You can come with us if you want."

"Is Mark there?" Joanne asked.

Roger nodded.

"I will stop by later. Send Mimi my love," she said sighing.

Roger closed the large metal door with a thud.

"Ready?" Maya was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yea," he said. They walked back out into the cold. The hospital was a few blocks away, but the walk seemed to take forever.

"Should I get her flowers?" Roger said, looking at the hospital's gift store. Flowers flooded the display window.

"Sure," Maya said. She walked into the store and saw a beautiful bouquet of pale pink roses.

"Those are nice," said Roger, who was waiting for Maya to make a suggestion on what he should buy.

"I think you should get them," Maya said. "And hurry. I want to get up there soon."

Roger laughed, paid for the flowers, and headed towards the elevator.

The floors lit up as the elevator ascended up.

Finally, on floor 11, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. No one was in the lobby, but they heard singing down the hall.

"Mimi Marquez," Roger said to an older woman, sitting at the front desk.

"I'm sorry," she said. "The hospital has been given strict security orders. No more than three visitors at a time."

"There are only two of us," Roger said blankly.

"I understand, but she has three visitors now. A Mr. Cohen, a Miss Johnson, and a Thomas Collins," the nurse said, reading off of the clipboard.

"I am her boyfriend, though," Roger said. "I have a right to see her."

"She is doing fine. She is not on her deathbed, so the need to see her is not urgent. You can-"

"I should put _you_ on your deathbed you-"

"Thank you," Maya said, pushing Roger away from the nurse who had stood up and had her finger over the security button.

"We will just wait for them to come out," Maya said. She sat down and picked up a magazine.

After five minutes Roger stood up.

"Let's go get some food," he said, walking down the hall. The nurse had her back turned to them, so they slipped by without being seen.

Instead of going down the stairs to the cafeteria, they took a left and headed for Mimi's room. Roger knocked on the door, just as Maureen opened it and stepped out.

"Rog," she cried. She threw her hands around his neck.

Roger smiled and pushed past the drama queen to go see his girlfriend.

The room was bright white. Flowers lined the window sills. Collins was sitting in the chair, talking to Mimi.

Mimi still had on her long, white hospital gown. She had her knees scrunched up against her chest. For a moment, the rocker imagined her illing, by the way she was sitting, but he quickly shook that idea out of his head. She was over drugs. She was clean.

Mimi glanced over at the door and her face lit up. She stood up on the bed like a small child and jumped into the strong arms of her boyfriend and planted a huge kiss on his mouth.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Roger whispered in her ear, dropping the roses on the bed and indulging himself with her lips.


	7. To Know How It Feels

_**Disclaimer: still don't own it.**_

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**To Know How It Feels**

Maureen walked down to the cafeteria, to look for Mark. She entered the small room, only to find Mark sitting with the nurse.

The young nurse was laughing at something he was saying, while holding his hands and examining his shirt.

"My dad has one just like it," the girl was saying. She took her fingers and walked them up to his shoulder.

"Pookie?" Maureen asked loudly.

Mark turned around. "Hey Maureen," he exclaimed in a flustered tone.

"Who's this Marky?" the nurse asked.

"I was just going to ask _you_ the same question," Maureen said glaring at the girl.

"I am Nicolletta Pascal," she said. "Marky and I were just chatting."

"Well I am going to-"

"She is Maureen," Mark said interrupting his girlfriend. "We are visiting our friend Mimi."

"Oh," she said. Nicolletta began examining her nails. "Can we help you?" Nicolletta asked, looking at the diva.

"Mark," Maureen said grabbing her boyfriend's arm. "We need to go. Bye Nicorette."

"_Nicolletta," _the young nurse corrected.

"Like it matters," Maureen snapped. Once the couple was outside Mimi's room, Maureen stepped in front of the door and stared at Mark.

"Maureen, that wasn't what it looked like."

"Why would you do that?"

"Now you know how it feels," Mark mumbled.

"What?"

"You heard me. I never get looked at. Girls always look at everyone in the group, but me. No one cares about the dorky camera kid. It felt good for someone to like me for a little."

"Hello? What about me? Your girlfriend!"

"Like that is going to last long. Maureen, you never stay with anyone for long. You don't take love seriously. You never will."

"How do you know? How do you know I don't take it seriously?"

Mark pushed past her and went into the hospital room.

Roger was sitting on the bed, holding Mimi in his lap. Collins was sitting next to Maya on the chairs. The four of them were laughing.

"Mark," Mimi cried. Roger nodded at his best friend. Maureen went to the corner and sat down. Mimi noticed the tears in her best friend's eyes and offered a look of sympathy.

Roger saw the anger on _his_ best friend's face and gave him a quizzical look. An awkward silence settled down, as Maureen and Mark avoided each other at all costs.

The doctor walked in to break the silence.

"Excuse me," he said. "Miss Marquez, you can leave tomorrow morning. On another note, all visiting hours are over, so if you would all kindly leave."

The group all got up and said goodbye to the young girl lying in the bed.

"Mr. Davis," the doctor said. "A word?"

"Oh," Mark interrupted. "I am going to be covering the costs."

"That is good to know, but that is not why I need to talk to Mr. Davis," the doctor said.

Roger followed the doctor outside.

"Miss Marquez is doing much better, but it is you I am concerned about," he said.

"Me?" Roger said.

"Both you and Mimi are only positive, correct?"

"Yes," he said.

"Your symptoms are pointing towards AIDS," the doctor said. "I was referring to your records and would it be possible to take a few blood tests?"

"I guess," said Roger skeptically.

"Firstly," the doctor said. "How did you extract HIV?"

"My first girlfriend left a note saying, _'We've Got AIDS.'_" Roger said.

"I doubt that you would have acquired AIDS that early on. The note probably only implied you were HIV positive. By being positive, you are putting yourself at risk for AIDS."

Roger nodded irritably. This seemed like his millionth "HIV lecture." He knew that he was HIV positive and he knew that HIV could later turn into AIDS. He was never a fan of details, so he always just told the doctor, "I have AIDS," just like April's note had said.


	8. I Adore You

_**Disclaimer: do I own it yet?**_

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**I Adore You**

Maureen left the hospital early, not waiting for Collins, Maya, or Mark. She was so hurt! She wanted to vomit. She pulled her thin sweater closer around her. It was only 4 p.m., but the sun was already setting. The minute she made it to the Loft, she entered the room she shared with Mark and dove onto the bed.

She heard a knock on the door about 10 minutes later and opened her eyes.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Joanne is at the door," Mark said. Maureen stood up and walked into the living room. Mark was on the ground looking through the lens of his camera.

"_Oh, so he won't even look at me! That's great!" _she thought angrily to herself.

Maureen slid open the heavy door and saw Joanne halfway down the stairs.

"Hi," Maureen said.

"You were right," Joanne replied quickly, making her way back up the stairs. "I am not happy. I think the only thing that will make me happy is you."

"What?" the diva gasped.

"Oh Honey-bear, please take me back. I think we should give our relationship another chance.

Maureen smiled at her. She wanted to run and jump into Joanne's arms. Then, she remembered the feeling she got when she saw Mark with another woman.

"Joanne. I love you and always will. But I will love you as a close, close friend. I am with Mark. I love him and I am devoted to him. I can't be with you. I am sorry for all the things I have hurt you for, but I need to stop my little act and be with Mark." Maureen smiled sadly at Joanne.

"Maureen," Joanne whispered. "I can't believe you."

"What?" Maureen sighed.

"You have actually matured. And I am actually proud of you." Joanne put a hand on Maureen's shoulder. "Happy Valentine's Day," she said, turning to leave.

Maureen looked at the ground and smiled. She suddenly turned and ran onto the roof. She began to spin around and around.

"I'm mature," she whispered. "Someone took me seriously."

Maureen was always waiting for someone to give her the time of day. She always dreamed of someone saying the words Joanne just told her.

She began jumping up and down and looking out at the street. She felt like she was back at her protest, telling everyone to "moo."

She began to laugh and turned to go back inside, when she saw Mark standing in front of her.

"You heard?" she asked.

"Every word," he replied. "I just……wow……..you turned down Joanne for me? Thank you. I mean, you actually are sticking with one person. You are devoting yourself. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Mark. I love you," she said. Then she remembered all the times she had said that and all the times she was lying about it. "No, I don't love you, I adore you. And of course I am ready." She walked up to him and slowly lowered her hands on his shoulders.

"Till death do we part?" he asked.

Maureen gave him a kiss to seal the deal.

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**Please Review for more!!**


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